A Cat & a Dragon
by mikim
Summary: A fated meeting in a dark alley... 15 years after, Kenshin meets someone who oddly enough will try to help him. Saito's wife. Sequel to 'Third Soul' [rating may change later]. Will try to have a sano&meg and aoshi&misao pairings...
1. Default Chapter

For those who are familiar with this story, yes, I used a cat & a dragon as prologue, just to remind you… Anyway, I made a mistake in the timeline… Sorry, about that. Bah, here's the sequel, A cat and a Dragon.

Have fun, mikim.

"A Cat and a Dragon"

As usual standards disclaimers apply. The song belongs to the Joe Hisaishi. From the Sen to Chihiro Soundtrack.

Tokio had been helping Arashi all day at the inn, helping her to clean up the rooms, prepare the meals, arrange the flowers and so on and so forth. The day was bright, and she hadn't felt so cheerful for a long time. A feeling of guilt kept on tugging at her soul, but she refused to acknowledge it by busing herself with her newfound friend.

Lunch time had came and passed without Tokio noticing it, so it was to her surprise that Kagome forced her to sit in the kitchen with the other maids to enjoy her meal. Kagome's kids were there as well, making a ruckus in the kitchen as usual.  The boys and their little sister had already eaten, but they liked to hang around in the kitchen. Tokio was sitting next to Arashi on the porch leading to the garden, their meal trays lying forgotten and empty besides them. The maid was babbling on about her dream love: the captain of the second squad, which made Tokio smile.

For one reason or another, the kids were banished from the kitchen and were sent rather abruptly in the garden. The little boys looked at each other then shrugged and ran away to cause some more mischief. Sakura-chan glanced hesitantly first at the girls sitting on the porch and then at her brothers, unable to decide what to do. 

Tokio noticed her and called her name: 

"Sakura-chan! Come here!" She waved enthusiastically at the little girl and was greeted by a sunny smile on her cherry face. Sakura-chan ran to them, laughing heartily and nearly jumped into Tokio's lap. 

"Tokio-neesan!" She cried in greeting, her exuberant little arms closing themselves fiercely around Tokio's neck to give her a hug. Arashi giggled at Sakura-chan's display and at Tokio's horrified expression when the little bundle of energy fell right into her lap and almost choked her to death. "Sing for me! Please! Pretty please!" She begged, trying to convince her by trying the 'puppy eyes' technique as her brothers disgustedly put it. 

"Oh, yes! That's a great idea! Tokio-chan, you have such an incredible voice! Oh, please, sing us something again." Arashi added, clapping her hands expectedly.

 Tokio put a finger on Sakura-chan's nose and rubbed it, making the little girl giggle. "Hmm, I don't know..." Tokio replied hesitantly. 

"Oh, please, Tokio-chan, before Kagome-sama calls us to get back to work." Arashi begged, and she grabbed Sakura-chan, making her sit on her lap and moved her head until she was cheek to cheek against Sakura-chan.  Then the two of them gave Tokio the best display of 'puppy eyes' they could manage. 

Tokio laughed at their antics and finally gave in. "Okay, then. Let's see…" She turned her glittering eyes with laughter to the blue sky, trying to find a song. "Oh, there's a song my mother would sing to my brother and I whenever we were crying. Her voice, while singing this song, would wash away our tears because of the warmth she held in it." 

Sakura-chan clapped her hands happily, and exclaimed, rather loudly into Arashi's ear, who was still holding her close. "Oh, yes, sing it, please, pretty please, Tokio-neesan."

Tokio burst in laughter at Arashi's expression: her friend looked like she could see angels turning around her head. After stifling her laughter, thanks to a deadly glare from Arashi, Tokio answered the little girl. "Alright."

Tokio's eyes turned dreamy as if she was looking at something or someone the others couldn't see, and her clear voice rose in the light of the mid-summer day.

She calls me this voice,   
Deep down my heart.  
I would like to dream   
Only dreams, which thrill me.  
I crossed oceans of sadness.  
But I know that on the other bank,   
I shall meet you certainly.  
I am this traveler  
Who always repeats the same errors.  
But who knows the blue of the sky   
To have investigated it in every fall.  
The road seems long and endless,  
But I can of these two arms   
Embrace the light  
My heart stops beating   
Whenever I tell you goodbye.  
My empty and silent body   
Stretches out an ear towards the world.  
The wonder of the life,   
The wonder of the death.  
Flowers, wind and cities   
Participate in the same wonder.  
She calls me this voice,   
Deep down my heart.  
Always let us dream   
The same liked dreams.  
Rather than to enumerate   
The ritornelle of the misfortunes.  
Let us use the same lips   
To sing cheerfully.  
This voice locked   
Into every recollection.  
Let us continue to listen it and to keep it  
Affectedly the whisper.  
Over the mirror  
Broken in one thousand pieces.  
Thousands of new landscapes   
Are now reflected.  
Through the peaceful window   
Of the first morning.  
My empty and silent body   
Is going to fill with a new life.  
No more need to look   
Beyond seas.  
The spark of the happiness   
Is there, near me  
I found it finally.   
It is there deep down of me.

Tokio let her voice die and an unreal silence remained around her.

Arashi was the first to break it when she whispered. "Aah, I feel like I'm floating on a cloud. Your voice is simply enchanting."   
Trust Arashi to have silly expressions, Tokio thought, covering a chuckle with the back of her hand. "Thanks, I'm glad you like it."   
"Will you teach me the song?" Sakura-chan burst in, her eyes locked onto Tokio's face.  
"Arashi-chan!" A voice, behind them suddenly called. It was Kagome, the owner of the inn, standing in the doorway with a soft smile on her lips.  
Arashi turned around and quickly stood up, putting Sakura-chan on the ground and gathering hers and Tokio's food tray. "Oh, it's Kagome-sama. I'm coming right now, Kagome-sama."   
Tokio stood up as well to follow Arashi when Kagome interrupted her. "No, no, Tokio-chan, you stay here. You helped us enough this morning, that was extremely kind of you."   
"Oh, no, Kagome-san, don't worry, i like it." Tokio answered truthfully.   
Kagome smiled back and gave in. "Then, maybe you could watch the scoundrels i have the great displeasure of calling my children?"   
"Okaasan!" Sakura-chan stomped her little foot, annoyed by her mother's pet name for her and her brothers.

Tokio looked down at her and threw a glance at the two boys who were having a sword fight with some wooden sticks. "I'd be glad to, Kagome-san." She told Kagome, meeting her eyes steadily. Kagome nodded and went back in the kitchen. Arashi followed her, smiling at Tokio.

Sakura-chan wasted no time and tugged on Tokio's hand, leading her deeper into the garden, next to the back door. "Tokio-neesan, come here."   
A small, tiger-like kitty walked lazily into the garden from the ajar door. Sakura-chan noticed and squealed, opening her arms wide and running toward the poor animal. "Oh, a baby cat." She exclaimed, brushing her cheek against the animal's. "Look, Tokio-neesan. It's a baby cat!" She added, extending her arms so that Tokio could see the kitten.  
"It's cute." Tokio answered, but suddenly, the little cat broke free for the little girl's grip and ran away, by the door.

"Oh, wait!" Sakura-chan cried out, running after her cat, outside the garden.  
"Sakura-chan!" Tokio yelled after her, running as fast as she could in her kimono and sandals. The outside of the inn led to a street which turned in three different directions, but no Sakura-chan in sight. "Sakura-chan, come here." Tokio called, a bit upset of losing the girl so fast. "Sakura-chan, where are you?" She called again as no one answered her. A few passant were walking by, but when Tokio saw them, she couldn't muster enough courage to ask them if they had seen a little girl, because one of them could be * him *.

Unknown to her, Sakura-chan wasn't looking where she was going -- no she was only looking at the direction her cat was taking. That was why she didn't see the older boy, a lot bigger and heavier than her, joking with his friends, before she walked directly into him. "Wah!" She cried out, falling on her behind. The boy too fell backwards but he jumped on his feet almost immediately after,  it didn't save him from the snickers and the sarcastic comments his friends. They were joking about how easily a little girl could make him fall and despite the boy's denials, his friends kept on snickering, making him more than a little annoyed.   
Sakura-chan, still sitting on the ground, raised her eyes to meet the angry ones of the boy she had just bumped into and suddenly heard her name being called. "Sakura-chan!"   
"Tokio-neesan!!" Scared, Sakura-chan stood up and backed from the older boy who marched on her, wanting to show his friends he was much stronger than a little girl, but a strong hand stopped him.  
"Why don't you look for an enemy of your size?" The boy turned on his side, glaring at whoever had addressed him, and he met the violet eyes of a man with long red hair, tied up in a high ponytail, a sword on his side.

I am this traveler  
Who always repeats the same errors.  
But who knows the blue of the sky   
To have investigated it in every fall.

Kenshin came closer till he stood between the boy and his target and glared down at him, making him tremble and back away slowly to his friends. He then turned his eyes toward the boy's friends too and the whole lot turned around and ran.  
"Sakura-chan!" A female voice called again, attracting the little girl's attention.   
"Tokio-neesan!" 

Kenshin turned around to see the little girl, presuming she was 'Sakura-chan' and handed her a small bundle which had ran into him a little earlier.  
"Here, chibi-chan. I think this baby cat is yours, no?" Kenshin smiled down at her, and was rewarded by a sunny smile.  
Sakura-chan beamed and held her cat close to her heart, looking up at the man. "Yes! Thank you a lot!" Unnoticed by the pair, Tokio arrived at that moment.  
"Oh, it's nothing, chibi-chan." Tokio stared at the young, red haired man that had helped Sakura-chan. He was barely 15 but he looked more than comfortable with the sword he held on his side. The dark blue hakama and the white gi were worn, like those of a man who had been walking for a long time. 

The road seems long and endless,  
But I can of these two arms   
Embrace the light

His violet eyes gently looking down at Sakura-chan while she hugged his leg with one arm in thanks, her cat in the other arm. Something was wrong with this man. Tokio felt it instantly. Something was changing in him; something was starting to devour him; something was pulling him inside the darkness. Tokio shivered lightly. She had almost smelled blood coming from the young man.  
"Thank you so much for finding her and helping her out, sir." Tokio finally said, coming closer to the pair, her eyes settling themselves on the man. Sakura-chan squealed when she saw Tokio and ran to her. Tokio bent to the little girl level and hugged her, relieved of finding her but she never took her gaze off the man.   
"It was nothing." He answered, smiling gently at her, his violet eyes twinkling softly. Tokio stood up and Sakura-chan immediately attached herself around her leg.  
"Your daughter should just learn not to pick up fights with boys!" He ruffled Sakura-chan's brown hair, making her giggle, her little cheeks pink.   
A warm feeling rose in Tokio's chest: this man was dangerous, she could feel blood around him but he'd never harmed anyone for fun. No, despite the darkness that seemed to linger around the man, she could also see, as he ruffled Sakura-chan's hair, a kind heart, much like the one of a child. He was a boy in the body of a man, a child lost in the horror of war.

Rather than to enumerate   
The ritornelle of the misfortunes.  
Let us use the same lips   
To sing cheerfully.

"She's not my mother!" The little girl said happily, attracting Tokio's attention, by tugging on her hand. "She's my Tokio-neesan!" Tokio took Sakura-chan in her arms, smiling softly down at her, even if her heart felt heavy for the man-child in front of her.   
"Thank you again, sir." She said, trying to see through the mask.  
"My name's Himura and please, don't call me sir, I'm not that old." The young man answered, suddenly blushing. This woman's eyes looked weird: they made him feel like a child. She seemed to see past his mask and Kenshin cursed himself for behaving like such a fool. He should just take his leave, but something about her made him feel… Well, almost like how he was feeling when he was a little boy, still behind his mother's skirts -- young, carefree and ignorant of the horrors life could bring.   
Tokio smiled. "Then, thank you a lot, Himura-san. My name's Magami, Tokio Magami and this is Sakura-chan." Tokio said with a small bow, but she had to hide a smile behind her hand as Sakura-chan tried to copy her bow while the kitten she still held in her arms was trying to wiggle free from the little girl's grip.  
"Well, Sakura-chan, Magami-san, goodbye -- and Sakura-chan be careful the next time!"   
"Hai!" She promised him, holding her cat with both hands this time.  
Tokio put Sakura-chan down and called out softly to the younger man. "Wait, Himura-san." The young red-hair man stopped and turned around, curious. And he froze, stunned.

The sight of a woman out of the time greeted him. Her long, black hair had a will of its own, whirling around her, resting on her shoulders and her odd black eyes seemed to see what other people couldn't. "The next time we meet, I'll be the one helping you." Her soft whisper reaching his ears on the wings of the soft wind, which had suddenly risen when she had spoken. 

I would like to dream   
Only dreams, which thrill me.  
I crossed oceans of sadness.  
But I know that on the other bank,   
I shall meet you certainly.

Startled, the younger man said nothing and just stared at her, his violet eyes locked with her night gaze. The two of them remained unmoving, staring at each other, as if sharing a secret knowledge. 

My empty and silent body   
Is going to fill with a new life.

The young man bowed deeply in front of the woman and turned around silently, as if nothing had happened or as if he had nothing to add, suddenly breaking the mystic mood.

The spark of the happiness   
Is there, near me  
I found it finally.   
It is there deep down of me.

Satisfied, Tokio nodded after his departure and took Sakura-chan's tiny hand in hers and led her back to the inn, knowing fully she'd see that young man again, when Fate would have marked him as one of her 'chosen ones'.   
A lost child angel in a time of war, demon with the eyes of a child -- he surely was an assassin.

She calls me this voice,   
Deep down my heart.

Chapter 1. Hello, nice to see you again… 

A tall woman, dressed in a deep red kimono with white plum blossoms designed on it, with long, black hair, held in a loose ponytail at the base of her neck, suddenly stopped in her walk, startling the two children walking by her side. "Eiji-kun, I think that it was left after the market."   
A young boy around 14 years old turned around and looked at her, an eyebrow up. His unruly dark hair and dark brown eyes made him look fierce but in the eyes of the little girl on his back, he was the best big brother ever. Eiji tilted his head on the side, in annoyance, frowning a little.  
"But, Okaasan, you said it was right after the next…" The boy stopped himself in his ranting, as his mother's face twisted in a grimace, making him sigh in surrender. "Oh, why bother, we're lost, aren't we?"   
The woman bent her head and sighed too. "Looks like. I'm sorry, Eiji-kun." She apologized in a soft voice.   
Eiji only shrugged back. "It's alright, Okaasan, we're all used of you getting lost. I should've paid more attention this morning."

A bittersweet laugh escaped the woman's throat, making Eiji's face lit up with one of his rare smiles. "Well, now, I guess we'll have to wait for your father to come and get us out of trouble…" She looked around her, as if she expected her husband to pop out of nowhere just because she mentioned him.

The little girl on Eiji's back suddenly livened up as two, and then three drops fell on the ground. "Niichan! Niichan! It's raining!" She said, opening her arms wide and turning her face up to the rainy skies.   
"Yes, thank you, Arashi-chan, I haven't realized it." Eiji said a bit dryly to tease her and put her down. He then looked up at the sky too, and his young face twisted with annoyance and determination, the rain coming closer. He lowered his gaze to his mother and his little sister and told the first. "Okaasan, stay here with Arashi-chan, I'm going to get him."  
Immediately, in alarm, the elder woman turned to look at him, worry on her face. "Alone? Wait, Eiji-kun, we'd better…" But, then her son started to run away, as the rain started to fall heavier.  
Eiji covered his face with one of his arms and yelled to cover the sound of the rain. "I'll run! I promise I won't be long, you two stay here, ok?"  
"YES, Niichan!" Arashi yelled in response, waving at her brother.   
"Be careful, Eiji-kun!"   
Eiji turned around a last time, to yell, teasingly. "Silly, watch over Okaasan!"  
"Arashi is not silly!!!" Arashi stomped an angry little foot while her mother covered her mouth with her hand, laughing. She then took her daughter's hand in hers and walked to a nearly sheltered place by a large tree. 

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Eiji ran under the heavy rain. He was drenched in a couple of seconds but he kept on running, despite the now muddy and slippery road, shielding his eyes from the slashing rain with one arm raised, he tracked his way back to the market they've just left. When he got there, the market was empty, while it was so crowded almost half-an-hour earlier than they had problem walking through it. He approached an old merchant of fruits.  
"Excuse-me."  
The elderly woman turned around to find a little boy, around 14, drenched to bones. Startled, she grabbed him by the arm and dragged him inside the small shop, giving him a shelter.  
"I need to find the police station, could you indicate me the way to it, please?" Eiji asked, while the woman dragged him inside.  
"And, why, my boy?"  
"I need to find someone there." Eiji answered quickly, looking above his shoulder at the pouring rain.   
"Well, stay here till the rain stops and…"  
Eiji interrupted the woman quite rudely, but he didn't have time to lose. "No, my Okaasan and my little sister are waiting under the rain so I have to hurry."  
"Alright, then you go left when…"

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Sanosuke cursed under his breath. Just my luck! Damnit! Why does rain have to come so quickly in this damn city?   
He was running at full speed towards the dojo when a flash of purple caught his eyes. What? Sanosuke slowed down and turned around. A little girl, dressed in a purple kimono, totally drenched, was shaking a woman, who had apparently fainted. Alarmed, Sanosuke came closer and called out.  
"Hey! Chibi-chan! You okay?"   
Damnit! That woman… Sanosuke started to panic when he met the little girl's eyes. 

The little girl looked up and turned her golden eyes in his direction. Sanosuke realized with some surprise that she wasn't crying, nor did she seem to be scared of him. The sudden rain that had splashed his limbs slowly turned into a nice, warm and small summer rain.  
"My Mama fell suddenly asleep, could you help us?" Her voice was clear and steady above the falling water without a trace of doubt or fears for a man at least thrice her size.

Water was running down the child face: her eyes were piercing like a blazing sun through stormy clouds. Her little cherubic face, with a little pointed chin was a struck with a fierce determination and strength. 'Nothing much could frighten this child.' Sanosuke thought with some nostalgia that this little girl would blossom into a beautiful and almost unreachable flower to his kind, just like his onna-sensei… But, the man who will hold her heart would be a damn lucking bastard. 

A tug on his pants jerked him back to earth. The little girl had stood up during his musings and had stepped closer to him.  
"Please." She asked again, her little face raised to him.

Sanosuke nodded slowly, not leaving her face a minute and scooped the woman in his arms, and for the first time, his eyes fell on the little girl's mother.   
Too bad he couldn't see her eyes. A sigh escaped his lips and he wished he could meet the man lucky enough to have these two beauties to call his.   
"Chibi-chan, come on, climb on my back." Sanosuke kneeled and the little girl resolutely pushed her heavy hair out of her face, frowning a little, making it hard for Sanosuke not to smile and climbed on his back. "Hold tight." He smiled gently at her and her serious face lit up with an awkward smile, making her look more a little girl that she was.  

Sanosuke resumed his run towards the Kamiya Dojo, carrying a fainted woman, a little girl hanging as if her life depended on it on his neck.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Hey!" Sanosuke called out, kicking the door open. Hearing his strong voice over the quiet rain, Kenshin slid the door open and walked outside the living room to greet his friend. He was alone in the house, as Kaoru, Misao and his son, Kenji were over at Megumi's clinic, while Yahiko was off somewhere, surely with Tsubame. 

"Sano…" Kenshin's voice and welcoming smile died on his lips as the surprising sight of Sanosuke, out in the rain, holding in his arms a woman, clad in a deep red kimono with white plum blossoms designed on it, greeted him. Her long hair was falling on the porch as Sanosuke lowered himself and gently laid her down. Kenshin's eyes flickered back to his friend and saw two small arms sliding down Sano's back and a little girl stepped at his side, worriedly looking at the woman. Both were completely drenched. The little girl climbed on the porch, kicking her shoes in the process and kneeled next to her mother.   
"Okaasan. Wake up." She said, in a quiet voice, one little and pale hand shaking the older woman stilled shoulder.

Kenshin stared at the strange pair: the little girl wasn't crying. Seeing her own mother lying on the ground, not answering her calls, obviously not understanding that she had fainted didn't bother her more than that. 

"I'm getting the onna-sensei." Sanosuke threw above his shoulder as he broke in a mad run. Kenshin bewildered, watched Sanosuke slammed the door open and disappear in the street. He took his eyes back to the woman and to the little girl, kneeling next to her head. Her little hands calmly set on her lap, looking up expectantly at Kenshin, the strange little girl was staring at him with an evident curiosity, water was dripping from her long bangs and the red string holding a lock of her hair was sliding slowly to the ground. The red string fell on the ground with a "slomp" sound, next to the woman's head, on her hair, reminding Kenshin of an odd meeting, in the dark alleys of Kyoto, during a sunny day of summer.   

Brushing the strange feeling of déjà-vu away, Kenshin came closer to daughter and mother and scooped the woman in his arms. "Chibi-dono, come on." Kenshin told the little girl staring up at him with a pair of golden eyes. He tried to smile gently at her while he walked to his room. The little girl marked a little pause, surely asking herself what she should do, then she followed Kenshin, pushing her hair out of her face, a determined frown on her delicate features. 

Kenshin was about to slide the door open with his foot when the little girl stepped forward and opened the door herself, looking expectantly up at him. He nodded and stepped in. As he was to put the woman down, the little girl stepped in the room and tugged on his pants, attracting his attention on her.  
"My name's Arashi."

Kenshin looked down at her calm and determined face, a serene look in her golden eyes and the ex-assassin found himself calm and rested, as if just looking at this strange little girl could smooth his feelings. "Hello, Arashi-dono." He said.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"KENSHIN NO BAKA! You should have undressed her before putting her in the bed! URGH! Stupid!!! As stupid as the Rooster Head! Misao, get me some hot water!" The open door let the group standing outside see a small girl, kneeling next to her mother, lying in a bed, Kenshin was on the other side, almost standing up. Megumi was standing in the doorframe, her fists on her hips, an angry frown and flashing eyes. Her red lips were drawn together in rage. She marched in the bedroom, not caring at all she looked as scary as hell and dropped her bag next to her patient. Kenshin quickly stood up and backed away from the doctor as her murderous eyes found him. Sanosuke stepped in the room, after her, Kaoru following him closely, her son in the arms.   
As soon as Arashi, kneeling next to her mother, saw Sanosuke, she ran, arms wide to him. Almost absentminded, Sanosuke bent to gather the girl in his arms.   
"Hey! Onna-sensei!!! What the hell does that mean?" He yelled back, tightening his hold on the little girl.   
"You're even too idiot to understand what I'm saying! Argh!" Megumi threw her hands in the air and whirled around in a mass of long, black hair. She pointed a finger in Kenshin's direction and yelled. "OUT! OUT! OUT! Let me repair the harm that you've done!!!" Megumi pulled Kaoru in the room and a certain glint from her eyes made Kenshin run for his life out of the room that technically, was his. Taking Kenji from his mother's arms, Megumi gave him to his runaway father when he passed by her angry form.

With a loud 'slam', the door of Kenshin and Kaoru's room closed, leaving Sanosuke, holding Arashi in his arms, Kenshin, holding his son while Misao was in the kitchen, getting some hot water for the doctor. 

Earlier, Sanosuke had burst in the clinic, yelling like he was wounded to death and almost threw Megumi on his shoulder to run back to the dojo. Megumi, being the practical woman that she was, just avoided his extended arms and reached for his ear, giving him a start and surprisingly enough, calming him.   
When Megumi managed to get the whole story out of Sanosuke and the time to gather her medical supply, the quiet rain had stopped. 

However, when they arrived at the dojo, Megumi couldn't actually say that she liked Kenshin a lot at that particular moment. The idiot had put the woman in his bed, fully clothed and in consequence, fully drenched. Immediately, she had sent Misao to boil some water and thrown Kenshin out of his own room to wait on the porch. Megumi pushed Kaoru inside, taking Kenji in the process out of his mother's arms and dumping him in his father's arms before the eye could catch her. 

Kenshin, holding Kenji, Sanosuke, holding Arashi, both looked first at the closed door and then at themselves, not knowing what to do. The sun pierced through the clouds and lit up the afternoon. The sun with its blazing fingers pushed the dark clouds away, warming up the day and earth and making little Arashi clapped her hands in glee, attracting both men attention to her.   
"Hey, Chibi-chan, wanna get into something warm?" Sanosuke asked her and Kenshin could have slapped himself for being so thoughtless.   
He turned, putting his son on the ground. "Alright, you two, come on, I'll give you some of Kenji-chan's clothes."  
"And found some for baka tori atama!!" Kenji said happily after his father, dancing a little, his red bangs falling on his glistening blue eyes. The boy had spent the afternoon at his aunt clinic and he knew his favorite aunt called his Niisan that way to annoy him. Kenji didn't know why it bothered Sano-nii that much but it was funny when Megumi-neesan was doing it so he liked to repeat it… Much to Sanosuke's despair and Megumi's delight.

A pained groan escaped Sanosuke while he growled at Kenji. "Oy! Kenji-chan! Who taught you all those naughty words?" Arashi put her hands on her mouth, covering her giggles. Kenji grinned up at her, his eyes lightening up once again.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The door of Saito's office suddenly swung open, letting an angry Chou, holding by his collar a rather angry Eiji. Chou was drenched on his front shirt, as if somebody really wet had ran into him rather painfully.

Saito immediately stood up, slamming his hands on his desk, a frown finding its way onto his brow. A cigarette handing at the end of his thin lips, the Miburo turned his angry golden eyes to the young boy. "What the hell are you doing here? And alone?" His voice slowly dropped an octave, warning the three males in the room with him that he was damn pissed. The man sitting in front of him, however, didn't flinch like the other two, but took notice of his sudden changing behavior. Shinomori Aoshi wore his nickname of 'Icicle' quite well: nothing was revealed on his stony face. Chou quickly dumped the boy in his boss office and closed the door behind him, but not without sending a winning smile at the boy glaring up at him, from the floor.

Eiji stood up, water quickly forming a small pool at his feet and met his stepfather's eyes without any fear, he was rather getting angrier, but the boy managed to push through his gritted teeth a short and blunt explanation. "We got lost."

Saito groaned low in his throat and walked round his desk. "Where is she?" Aoshi stood up as well, the meeting was obviously over, his steady and calm blue-green eyes following the wolf moving in his office, not an emotion crossing his handsome traits. 

Eiji never stepped back when Saito approached him, narrowing his eyes. "I can show you the way." Saito turned his head once to Aoshi who nodded back, his long black bangs covering his eyes.

"It's alright, I know enough to start some research." His cold, deep voice brought a smirk on the wolf's lips as if he was remembering a private joke, he then nodded once and retrieved his coat, opening the door to let the Oniwanbanshuu Okashira out of his office and sending his finished cigarette by the open window. Eiji steeped before Saito and the older man quickly closed his office to follow his stepson out. 

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Kaoru gathered the unknown woman wet clothes in her arms and stood up, intending to hang them up so they could dry. "How is she, Megumi-san?" She whispered to the doctor, as she took a look at the patient pale face. Her long hair had been dried with a towel Kaoru had fetched, her red string lying carelessly in a side of the room. Her deep red kimono had had been exchanged for one of Kaoru's yukata and the damp futon had been replaced by a dry one.   
"Cold for the moment, all we can do is to warm her." Megumi's face was covered with concern, frowning a little at the lack of responses her patient was giving her. Kaoru noticed Megumi's reaction and started to feel worry for the pale woman. Her skin seemed to be as white as the snow, surrounded by a pool of black ink. Despite the pessimism Megumi was showing off, her patient was recovering: her cheeks were turning into a light pink. Maybe the doctor was concerned on how slow her patient's progress was.  
"I'll grab some more covers." Kaoru offered, turning to look at Megumi who nodded back, smiling a little.  
"That would be a good idea, thank you, Kaoru-chan."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Kaoru left the room and closed the door silently behind her again. Kenshin came to her, concern all over his traits. Kaoru smiled gently at him, trying to reassure him with soft words. She knew he felt guilty about not thinking of changing the woman's clothes before putting her to bed. Kaoru instructed Kenshin to dry the clothes and gave him the wet kimono and towel, thinking that maybe if he had something to do instead of worrying alone in his corner, he'd forget his guilt. Kaoru then turned on her heels to get some more covers. When she returned, Kenshin was busy laying a small purple kimono next to a big red one. 

The little girl, Arashi, dressed in some of Kenji's clothes, was running around him, Kenji running with her, laughing to his heart content while Sanosuke was running after them, but slow enough to let the kids believe he couldn't catch them. Arashi laughed when Sano's arms wrapped around her and lifted her above his head. Misao was cheering on them, sitting on the fence, next to Kenshin.  
Kenshin was following them with gentle eyes but when he felt his wife's on his back, he turned slowly to meet her sky-like eyes. 

When Kaoru's eyes met Kenshin glittering ones, she felt a familiar shiver running down her spine. No matter for how many years they have spent together, no matter that they were now married and sharing the same bed, no matter what they have lived and passed through together, he'd always have a particular effect on her nervous system with his glittering purple eyes, his long red hair and that sweet smile. And more than anything, the love that would shine in his eyes when he looked at his son. His son, their little Kenji. The first time Kenshin had cried in her arms. 

After Kenji's birth, when Kaoru had been so tired that she had fallen asleep, she had been disturbed in her slumber by the soft voice of her husband, whispering promises to his newborn son. She had raised her head, unnoticed by the pair, as Kenji was fully alert of his father's talking to him. Kenshin's long red bangs fell forward as his head was bent over the baby he held closely to his heart. She had crawled behind him and put her arms around his neck, hugging him from behind, leaning on his back. Kenshin had then leaned his head back and she had been able to see the glistering tears in the moonlight, that fell softly and slowly down his cheeks to meet his lips which turned in a soft and content smile. 

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

As soon as Kaoru closed the door, the stranger started to grow restless in her sleep, waking up slowly. Megumi leaned closer to feel her forehead and sighed, relieved, when she felt nothing.   
"Oh, my head…" The woman's eyes fluttered open and she slowly looked around her, completely lost. "Where am I?" She whispered slowly, her throat being a little hoarse.

Megumi smiled reassuringly to her and soothed the woman's worries. "My name's Megumi Takani, I'm a doctor. You are currently at a friend of mine house, because we found you in the streets." The woman turned her head in the direction of the voice and Megumi met her deep black eyes. Eyes as dark as the nights. Megumi almost shivered when the woman looked at her.  
Panic flashed in the woman's strange black eyes and she tried to sit up, but Megumi held her down. "Where is my daughter?" She asked, eyes wide.  
"Don't." Megumi's voice was calm and steady, a small smile gracing her red lips. "Arashi-chan is fine, she's playing outside."   
The woman's eyes flickered to Megumi and she couldn't help but feel uneasy again. The woman looked surprised for an instant, then, her expression softened and her question surprised Megumi.  "She told you her name?"  
"Heu… Yes, well, not directly, but…" The doctor stammered, not really knowing what the woman meant.  
"I'm sorry, you see, Arashi-chan is a really quiet little girl." The woman smiled but her voice was slowly turning to a whisper and her lids were growing heavy. "She doesn't like strangers and usually won't speak to them unless my husband or myself ask her." She concluded, a smile on her lips while her eyes close almost by themselves.  
"She's really a beautiful child. But, you need your rest, Mrs.…" Megumi let her voice trail, hoping that the woman would tell the doctor her name.  
"Fujita. Fujita Tokio." Her eyes fluttered open for a few seconds, but her lids refused to stay open but the woman obviously fought off sleep.  
Megumi smiled softly again. "Sleep, Fujita-san. You need it."  
"Thank you, Takani-sensei." Her voice slowly drifted, but Megumi who was sitting next to her head, clearly heard her call a name when sleep took upon her. "Hajime…"  
"Eh?"

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"This way."  
"Huh? No, I left them over there."  
"This way." Without explaining himself any further, Saito turned on his left and heading to a particular dojo and cursed. Of course, she * had * to be there. He thought bitterly. Angrily, he reached for a cigarette, hidden in his coat and lit it up, walking quickly. Eiji stared at his retreating back for a couple of seconds, before hurrying after him.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Megumi stepped outside Kaoru and Kenshin's room, almost bumping in Kaoru who stood in the middle of the corridor. "Eh, I got our mysterious lady's name." She announced to the others.  
"Really? What is it?" Kaoru's eyes lit up and excited like a small child, she hugged the covers tighter to her chest. Sanosuke turned his head to Megumi's direction and walked closer to hear the doctor a little better. He put Arashi on the ground, his attention on the doctor. Misao jumped graciously from the fence and with Kenshin, she quickly made her way to the porch.  
"Sano-nii!! Come on!" Arashi tugged on his pants, laughing and willing to play more, Kenji looked up at him next to her, a huge smile spread across his mischievous, angelic face.    
"A sec, chibi-chan." Sanosuke patted her head and straightened up, his hand resting on the top of her head.  
"Fujita. She said her name was Fujita Tokio." Megumi was saying but Sanosuke's attention immediately focused on Kenshin and Misao when the both on them suddenly fell on the ground, eyes swirling.

Misao was freaking out. "NO WAY!" She yelled at the top of her lungs. Megumi tried to silence her but Misao whirled around and grabbed Kenshin off the ground, shaking him like crazy, banging his head on the ground -- in the meantime, and not caring about Kaoru's attempts to free her husband. Misao's eyes then took notice of a little girl, with long black hair, dressed in a boy hakama and gi; she had golden eyes.   
In her state of shock, Misao never noticed that she suddenly let Kenshin fall on the ground when she dumped him to put her hands on her face, in pure shock. "Oh my god, this means she's his daughter!!!!!!!!"   
"Misao-chan! What the hell?" Kaoru started to yell, annoyed.  
"Orororororororororororororororororo………..." Kenshin's eyes were still whirling but somehow, Arashi found it so funny that she approached him and tapped on his forehead slightly, as if testing a new toy.  
"Oy! What's going on?" Demanded an annoyed Sanosuke while Megumi managed to pull Misao together by shaking her a little. When Misao regained her senses, she turned wide-eyed to face Kenshin, still sprawled on the ground and pointed at Arashi.  
"She's Saito's daughter!" 

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Arashi looked up and saw Misao, Kaoru and Megumi looking at her in a funny way. A little scared by their weird faces, Arashi backed away, slowly but bumped in Sanosuke's legs. When she looked up, the man was looking down at her, eyes the size of a jug of his favorite sake and mouth almost hitting the ground.  
Before anyone could say anything else, a cold voice rose from the gate, announcing the missing Oniwanbanshuu member in the visit of Tokyo. "I'm back." Aoshi said before his eyes drank in the scene before him. 

Surprised by Aoshi sudden appearance that none had felt,  Arashi quickly ran behind Sanosuke's leg, using him as a shelter but looking up at the newcomer.  
"Hey, looks like chibi-chan is frightened by Icicle, here." Sanosuke tried to joke, a bit taken by the little girl's actions. Before, she had never been frightened when he had shown up in the street, but she was obviously scared by the women's faces and a bit hurt by his own expression. Then Arashi titled her head on the side and stepped aside Sanosuke, much to his surprise. A smile found its way to her lips and lit up her face as she ran to Aoshi, arms wide open to hug his legs. 

Aoshi as shocked as Sano and the others looked down in disbelief at the little girl, before kneeling down at her level. Without a word, Arashi put her arms around his neck in a silent plea of being held up.  Aoshi complied but when he turned to the rest of the group, he found Misao's hands joined together, eyes shining, staring at him while Megumi and Kaoru were slapping her own foreheads at the younger woman reaction, Kenshin slowly picking himself off the ground, helped by his son and Sanosuke staring at Aoshi, eyes wide open and cold sweat ran down the fearless Oniwanbanshuu Okashira spine. Mostly because of Misao's delighted expression of him holding a little girl as if it was giving her ideas.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

When Kenshin could stop his eyes from swirling, he sat on the porch and looked up at Aoshi, holding Arashi-chan. The little girl looked completely confused and was clinging on Aoshi's shirt, face hidden behind her long bangs and buried in Aoshi's collar. However, when she met his violet eyes, she calmed down a lot and managed to smile sweetly to him. Kenshin once more was amazed by this little girl, but after all, what should they expect from the Wolf's daughter?   
Kenshin met Aoshi's questioning gaze, and the man cleared his throat, introducing Arashi to Aoshi. "She's Saito's daughter, Arashi-chan." Aoshi slowly strode up next to Kenshin and sat down beside him on the porch and all the while the females' eyes didn't leave him.  

Aoshi's lips turned up in a light smirk, causing a second earthquake at the Kamiya dojo. "Really?" He asked, looking like someone who knew something the others didn't. Megumi was the first to snap out of the shock and grabbed Kaoru by the arm, pulling her behind into the room. "Kaoru-chan, could you help me for a moment?" she said in a shaky voice, closing the door after them.

Sano managed to recover from his shock, mostly because Kenji was jumping all around the sprawled form of the ex-gangster, making funny noises. Sano sat up, grabbed Kenji by his collar and threw him into his father's arms. Sano could thank the gods Kaoru wasn't there to see him do that to her beloved son.   
Kenshin caught Kenji just in time, but the boy was laughing: he liked being tossed around by his Sano-nii because he knew his father would be there to catch him. The action caught Sano's eyes and the latter looked up to see Kenji laughing, delighted, in his father's arms. His eyes flickered to the little girl on Aoshi's lap: she was staring at him, her head titled on the side, a sad look in her odd eyes. 

Now that he knew she was Saito's daughter, Sano could see a resemblance in Arashi's traits: the most obvious first, the same golden eyes, wise and odd, piercing his soul, as if they were seeing through him, then the thin lips that, when turned up in a smile, the only difference between hers and Saito's was a little irony. Otherwise, there was something else, something in her, the way she was so fearless of him, as if she knew he wouldn't harm her, her intelligence then and… 

Sano sighed heavily, recalling something he had wished a little earlier in the afternoon, after his first meeting with Arashi. He had wished he would meet the lucky bastard who could call Arashi and her mother his. Well, he already had.   
Maybe, Sano thought, I did something terribly bad in one of my previous lives that the gods are playing dirty tricks on me to make me pay back…

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Misao watched Arashi, sitting on her beloved Aoshi-sama's lap: how could this beautiful and so radiant little girl could be psycho-cop's daughter. The young ninja girl scratched her chin, trying to find reasons. Maybe she was adopted… Arashi stopped her staring at Sano and turned her face to Misao who met her fearless golden eyes.   
Maybe not, with those eyes… Misao almost sweat-dropped when she thought that the mysterious fainted woman Sano found was the goddess she and Kenshin had imagined to be in Saito's wife… 

Arashi was still staring at Misao, a confused and sad frown on her doll-like face. Feeling hurt, the little girl bent her head and snuggled closer to Aoshi, who held her tighter, turning his head slightly to send Misao a questioning look but Misao didn't see it as all her attention was focused on the little girl and she instantly felt bad. Bad for staring as if Arashi was a curiosity from an outer country, as if there was something wrong with her. Misao, in repentance, was about to put a hand on Arashi's head when a young and cheerful voice rang clearly from the gate. Arashi looked up also from Aoshi's shirt to the newcomer but quickly turned her head away and buried her face in Aoshi's neck.  
"Oh, my god! I'm gone a few hours and weasel popped a kid out of nowhere!!!" Yahiko faked a heart attack from the gate, a hand on his heart, shock all over his face. Oblivious to the suddenly blazing with anger Misao, he kept on, putting his hands on his hips, looking thoughtful. "I didn't know weasel could reproduce, however." One of Misao's kunai almost hit him in the head, but the young samurai avoided it thanks to years of training with avoiding flying stuff, taught by his master, mostly when she got angry at him.

"Welcome back, Yahiko-kun." Kenshin greeted him but he was quite sure Yahiko didn't hear him since he was busy running away from Misao who was yelling, once again, at the top of her lungs at Yahiko-chan to wait up for her to beat him up. Kenji, still on Kenshin's lap, climbed down his father's lap to stand up in front of Aoshi who let his eyes flickered from Misao's form to the younger Himura. The little fellow was standing in front of him, his tiny lips pushed together in a thoughtful pout, his brows drawn together, staring with his blue eyes at Arashi. Aoshi observed the little girl with guarded eyes. 

Arashi had proved to be really sensitive at feeling the others' emotions: the way she acted when the others found out who her father was, understanding that something had changed and that it concerned her. True it had scared her away, true she had obviously felt betrayed but how did she know he, Aoshi Shinomori, former Oniwanbanshuu Okashira, would protect her? Because he would. Not exactly knowing why, Aoshi knew he'd protect this strange little girl, even if it meant his life. So, none but Aoshi saw when Arashi closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder, nor did anyone but Aoshi remarked when Kenji climbed on Aoshi's lap and observed the little girl with great interest. Just then, she snapped her eyes open and turned to look at the gate. 

Just when Saito kicked it open.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Lighting up a cigarette, Saito stood a few moments silent before talking to the sweat-dropping inhabitants of the house, save Aoshi who was calming sitting on the porch. "I want to see my wife." Kaoru slammed the door open and marched outside, ready to blow up anybody's head for destroying her house. However, a squeal stopped her.  
"Otousan!" Arashi jumped from Aoshi's lap and ran to her father, her little arms opened wide, glee shone on her face, her long black hair flew widely behind her.  
"Arashi." Arashi hugged his long legs as tight as she could with her small arms and Saito bent to lift his little girl in his arms. He groaned and rolled his eyes heavenward, causing her to giggle when Arashi took his cigarette off his mouth to send it behind him. Then Arashi saw the young boy, looking relived, standing a few feet behind her father.  
"Niichan!" She cried again, extending her arms to him, but Saito started to walk in the direction of the owner of the house.   
Eiji walked behind him, scowling up at Arashi, "Arashi-chan! I thought I told you not to move!"   
Arashi defended herself and told him, outraged. "But Okaasan fell asleep suddenly and fell on the ground! I tried to wake her up but she refused to listen." Arashi turned back to her father. "Only Otousan can make her wake up." She told him, bringing a rare genuine smile to his face.  
"Where is Okaasan, chibi?" He asked her, eyes locked on his former enemy, who had stood up.   
Arashi twisted in his arms so that she could point at a room. "In that room."   
"Battousai." Saito greeted Kenshin coldly, after a quick glare at Aoshi, who was still sitting on the porch, Kenji in his lap.  
"Saito." Kenshin answered back, nodding at him, restraining his wife from jumping at Saito's throat for destroying her front gate. Again.  
Saito's golden eyes flickered to Sano who had stood up, as well, standing in front of Misao and her forgotten prey, Yahiko. "Moron." Saito acknowledged him.  
"Hey!"   
Arashi quickly put her little hand on Saito's mouth, looking horrified. "No, Otousan, that's Sano-nii." She exclaimed, shaking her head, making her long black hair look like waves of a raging sea.   
Saito pried her little fingers from his mouth and raised a questioning eyebrow at her. "Sano-nii?" he repeated, a smirk crossing his lips.  
"Yes! I played with him this afternoon." Arashi threw her arms in the air, happily.   
Eiji rolled his eyes at his little sister behavior when Kenshin took a look at him. "Eiji-kun." The former assassin whispered, not believing his eyes.  
Eiji looked up and greeted his savior. "Himura-san, Misao-san." He finished turning in Misao's direction, a little smile on his lips.  
"Eiji-kun! It's been forever!" Misao jumped before him, grabbing his hands. The girl was feeling really happy to see the boy again: he seemed to be a lot more alive than the last time she saw him, after his whole family got murdered. "But you're all wet, come on, I'll find you some clothes!" She tugged on his hands, forcing Eiji to follow her. Eiji pulled his hands back from Misao's grip and shook his head.  
His seriousness and calm behavior impressed Misao greatly. Over the years, Eiji had grown and seemed to have found peace again, after what had happened at his village. "No, thank you, Misao-san. I need to see my Okaasan first."  
A growl scowled him. "Go, get the stupid clothes, or else she'll skin me alive because you'll catch a cold." Saito snapped, but it only earned him a glare from Eiji. But the boy knew his Okaasan would be worried sick if he caught a cold and so, he nodded slowly at Misao who patted his head.  
"I think Yahiko's clothes would be perfect on you!" she said, pulling Eiji  after her.  
"Hey! You could at least ask me!" Yahiko exclaimed, but followed anyway, when Misao dragged a reluctant and glaring-at-a-smirking-Saito Eiji in Yahiko's room.   
Saito followed Eiji with his steady glance before putting his daughter on the ground. "Chibi, go with your Niichan and stay with him."  
"No. I want to see Okaasan." She answered, her little defiant chin raised in his direction.  
"Chibi." Saito warned, not raising his voice.  
Arashi pouted nicely, before giving in. However, her answer less than pleased the cop. "Fine, then I'll stay with Sano-nii."   
Saito grabbed her before she could turn around to walk to her 'Sano-nii' who was grinning stupidly in his corner and sighed lightly. "Very well, you're coming with me."  
"Hey!! Does that mean you don't trust me to watch over your brat?" Sano yelled, upset and Saito shot him a look telling him 'for once you're right'. Sano couldn't help but swear. "Damn!"  
"That's exactly why I don't want my little girl to hang out around you, moron." Saito threw above his shoulder as he walked closer to the porch when the door opened.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

His wife, his beloved and pale Tokio was standing in the doorway, hands on each side of the panel, her long black hair caressing her waist. "Hajime." She said, looking at him, smiling softly.   
"Tokio." Saito almost smirked when Raccoon girl and her husband fell backwards, astonished.  
Tokio paid no attention at the fallen couple and looked past at them, worried. "Where is Eiji-kun?"  
Saito didn't answer her and shot back. "What happened?"  
"It's nothing, I just fainted." Tokio shrugged and stepped further on the porch, looking from left to right but never leaving her gaze rest on her angry spouse.  
"Nothing? You call that nothing?" He growled.   
Tokio narrowed her eyes and was ready to snap at Saito when Aoshi's cool voice rose. "The boy is with Misao and Myoujin getting him some dry clothes." He answered her question, standing up, Kenji in his arms. Megumi came out of the room and tried to cool down the game.  
"Saito-san," she started, not feeling well herself. She couldn't help but feel strange around Saito's wife and daughter. "It's alright and it's quite normal for women in her condition to feel weak or maybe faint…"  
"Tokio." Saito snapped, eyes locked on his wife, not listening to whatever Megumi was saying. He was waiting for her to explain herself clearly and wasn't going to back away. Something was up, he could feel it, and his wife didn't want him to find out. And that was something he hated.   
Arashi twisted in her father's arms and Saito put her down, on the porch. Tokio kneeled on it and opened her arms to the small girl who took refuge between them, burying her face in her mother's shoulder, Arashi started to cry. 

Her mother whispering soft words in her ear, caressing her soft hair, Arashi quickly calmed down within her mother's embrace. Kaoru tilted her head on the side; feeling a motherly concern for Arashi, after all, she too was a mother. Sensing that Saito had something to tell his wife, Kaoru extended a hand to Arashi, showing to Tokio that she was willing to take care of the little girl while she and her husband talked. Tokio, over Arashi's head, smiled softly, in thanks, at Kaoru and put her hands on her daughter's waist, forcing her to look at her mother in the eye. The little girl then rubbed her eyes with her sleeves, making her mother smile while she told her daughter.  
"Arashi-chan, go with your brother." Tokio showed her Kaoru's extended hand and Arashi turned her head once more towards her mother.  
"Are you feeling better, Okaasan?"  Arashi asked, her golden eyes, still red from her sudden burst in tears.  
Tokio caressed her daughter's head, before nodding. "Yes, go." She stood up as Arashi took Kaoru's hand who led her to Yahiko's room where Misao and Eiji already were.  
"I know where I saw you…" 

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Tokio looked up when the astonished male but familiar voice reached her. Her eyes fell on a handsome man, with long red hair, tied up in a ponytail at the base of his neck. His violet eyes brought her back to 15 years earlier and she found herself in a dark alley, in Kyoto, behind the ShisenGumi Inn, chasing after a little girl and her cat. 

She remembered the young man who had helped the small girl, she remembered how the smell of blood seemed to linger around him, how his clothes were worn out, how his violet eyes would twinkle nicely down on the little girl, how he seemed comfortable with the swords by his side. Her eyes focused back on the present and his young face, partly hidden in the dim light of the alley faded into that of an older man, a man who had his lot of suffering in his life, a man marked as one of Fate's chosen ones, his violet eyes were still twinkling but they had lost the strange madness that lied in them, 15 years ago, also was gone the smell of blood. His crossed scar on his face was a proof that Fate had touched him, perhaps more roughly than some others.  
"Oh! You!" She pointed at him, glee spreading across her traits. She was truly happy to se him again, after all those years. Sometimes, she had been wondered if he had been killed.

Saito took off his shoes and climbed on the porch, to stand next to his wife and growled, mockingly. "You didn't even know where you were staying?"  
Ignoring him, Tokio smiled at Kenshin. "So we meet again." Tilting her head on the side, she stole a glance at Aoshi holding Kenji in his arms. The smile widened when she brought her eyes back on Kenshin who nodded.   
"Yes." He answered to both her questions, not that the one of his paternity concerning the young boy was to doubt; they both had the same fiery hair.   
Megumi hated being left in shadows, so she crossed her arms to her chest and said quite ironically. "Maybe we should start everything over again, to get formal introduction."  
"Maybe." Saito agreed, but he was more than angry, he was actually beyond that. How come his wife knew the Battousai?

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Kenshin looked up at Saito for a few seconds before turning and opening the way to the living room, smiling to Saito's wife. For once, the one bothering the others wasn't the Wolf. Sure it was mean, but Kenshin enjoyed every second of it. Megumi excused herself to make some tea and Sano sat on the ground, crossing his arms on his chest, never letting his glare left Saito who only smirked back, while sitting down. "Nice to see you again, Himura-san." The woman said, still smiling, as she sat down, in front of him, next to her husband. Something flickered in her night gaze and Kenshin felt a little repentant: she knew what he was feeling.   
"Nice to see you again, Magami-san." Kenshin smiled too. The two of them were sharing a secret, a secret meeting and a secret promise.   
Aoshi suddenly froze and turned his attention to the group. "Magami?"  
Saito's feral smile made Sano shiver and grateful to the Gods it wasn't directed against him. "Oh, looks like the Oniwanbanshuu information network is more powerful than I thought it'd be."

Aoshi ignored him and asked Tokio, eyes bewildered. "You're a Magami?" He almost stammered. The former Okashira offered quite a comical sight -- not sitting nor standing up either, he was frozen between the two states, eyes wide with young Kenji in his hands not touching the floor, floating in the air, silently waiting for his Aoshi-niichan to put him down.  
Tokio turned to him and smiled softly to him, a hint of sadness lingering in her gaze. "If you know that name, it means that you're aware of the other side."  
"Yes." Was Aoshi unique answer, as he kept on staring. Earlier, Misao had stared at this woman's daughter like she was from an outer country, now it was his turn.  
"Eh… What's going on down here?" Sanosuke asked, trying to catch up with the rest of them. If seeing Icicle showing a sign of surprise shocked him, Kenshin's passive face, as if he already knew, made him wonder.

Aoshi finally sat down, next to Kenji, and answered Sanosuke's question. "Magami is the family name of one of the oldest and most powerful family in Kyoto." He began, his steady gaze on Tokio, who nodded happily to him, to confirm his information. "However, they never took sides in the war, nor did they ever step into light. Some say they're controlling everything in the darkness and even in our government, there has always been a Magami, controlling and giving piece of advice. But no one truly knows anything about them. They don't seek power, even when they've been offered countless of times a more influent role in Japan's politics, they have always declined. They're living in a sort of small town, only composed of members of the Magami clan and at least a fifty people are living there, together, just outside Kyoto." He finished.  
"You know a lot." Tokio said, a bit surprised by the amount of information the Oniwanbanshuu network had been able to gather over the years. Surely there were more that the former Okashira was aware of, but whatever it was, he kept it to himself.  
"It's my job." Came his only reply.   
Kenji climbed on his lap. 

Saito lit up a cigarette and smiled ironically to Aoshi. "I'm impressed that you can talk that long, Shinomori."  
"The Magami family is a mystery for all those who tried to gather information on them." Aoshi said carefully, trying to incite either the Miburo or his wife to give him more parcels of information on the woman's family. Her facial traits and distinguished manners made Aoshi think that she could be linked to the actual Head Clan of the Magami, a man around his early thirties, with the same jet black hair and seriousness in his black eyes.  
"Humph. Just a bunch of old ghouls and some annoying brats. But, maybe my wife and the Battousai can explain themselves and enlighten the rest of us how they know each other."

Sadness and pain formed on her face, Tokio slowly turned to her husband who stared back. She then bent her head and turned back to face Kenshin, her black eyes turning into pools of black ink, without ends, in which sadness swam over and over again, never letting go. Kaoru stepped in the room, with Megumi holding a tray with several tea cups, while Misao carried the hot kettle. Eiji, holding his sister's hand, followed behind the females and finally Yahiko, hands behind his head. Arashi and Eiji quickly made their way to sit by their parents, the boy next to his mother and Arashi choosing to sit next to her father.  
Tokio whispered softly, as if it was a fact she should have realized a lot earlier. "Of, course, you were the Battousai. I didn't realize it."   
Arashi climbed on Saito's lap. 


	2. not a chapter but a bad news

Hello everyone, I'm writing you from my sister's computer because mine broke down. I don't know yet if i lost all my files or if i'd be able to use it again one day, so if you're wondering what the hell is happening to me, then i'm terribly sorry but i may have lost all my files and stories, please, hang on, i promise everything will get back to normal once i get my computer back.  
  
Please, cross your fingers with me for my files to still be on my computer!! mikim 


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